leonard



Aug. 23, 1955 H. J. LEONARD, JR

DISPENSER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES 2 Sheets-$heet 1 Filed May 22, 1952 Harry J. Leonard, Jr.

IN V EN TOR.

3, 1955 H. J. LEONARD, JR 2,715,979

DISPENSER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed May 22, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Harry J. Leonard, Jr.

INVENTOR.

BY fimaaifim MEML United States Patent DISPENSER FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Harry J. Leonard, Jr., Port Hope, Mich.

Application May 22, 1952, Serial No. 289,296

6 Claims. (Cl. 222-101) This invention relates in general to dispensers, and more particularly to dispensers for dispensing the contents of collapsible tubes containing substances such as tooth paste, shaving cream, salves, et cetera.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser for dispensing the contents of collapsible tubes, said dispenser being provided with means for effectively collapsing a collapsible tube whereby the contents thereof are effectively dispensed therefrom in order to reduce the loss to a minimum.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser for collapsible tubes which includes a tube holder having a ball associated therewith for compressing a collapsible tube thereagainst, said ball being urged toward the tube holder by selectively actuated mechanical linkage.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser for collapsible tubes, said dispenser being of a two piece construction whereby it may be quickly and easily secured to the wall of a bathroom or other suitable place and at the same time permitting a tube of the substance to be dispensed to be easily mounted therein.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved dispenser for collapsible tubes, said dispenser having a novel closure structure for sealing a dispensing opening of a collapsible tube, said closure structure including a roll of sealing paper adapted to be disposed between a closure plate and the dispensing opening.

With these objects definitely in view, this invention resides in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of elements and portions as will be hereinafter described in detail in the specification, particularly pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a material part of this application and in which:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the dispenser, which is the subject of this invention, and shows the general outline thereof including an actuating handle;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of a wall on which the dispenser of Figure 1 is mounted and shows the general appearance of the front portion of the dispenser;

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through a housing of the dispenser and shows the general construction of the means for supporting a tube within said housing and the mechanical means for collapsing the tube;

Figure 4 is a transverse horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure 3 and shows the general cross section of the housing and the relationship of the mechanical means for collapsing the tube disposed therein;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line S5 of Figure 3 and shows the general construction of the mechanical means for collapsing the tube disposed in the housing;

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Figure 6 is an exploded side elevational view of the dispenser and showing the relationship of the component parts thereof, a portion of the side wall of the housing being broken away in order to show the relationship of the mechanical means for collapsing the tube mounted within a tube holding portion of the housing;

Figure 7 is a bottom plan view of the dispenser of Figure 1 and shows the general configuration of a closure plate pivotally carried by the housing for sealing the dispensing opening of the tube disposed within the housing; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view similar to Figure 3 and shows the position of the closure plate with respect to the housing when the closure plate is in its open position.

Similar characters of reference designate similar or identical elements and portions throughout the specification and throughout the difierent views of the drawmgs.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the dispenser for collapsible tubes, which is the subject of this invention, includes a tubular housing which is divided into two detachable parts, said parts including a mounting part 10 in which is disposed actuating mechanism, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12, and a tube holder 14 which is detachably connected to the mounting part 10. The mounting part It is channel-shaped in cross section and includes a back wall 16 which is secured to a supporting surface 18 by a plurality of fasteners in the form of screws 20. Projecting outwardly from the back portion 16 are a pair of spaced parallel wing flanges 22 and 24 forming generally the sides of the housing of the dispenser. The mounting part 10 also includes a rounded top portion 26 which is formed as a continuation of the wing flanges 22 and 24 so as to provide a housing having a pleasing appearance.

The tube holder 14, as is best illustrated in Figure 4, is substantially semi-circular in cross section for a major portion of its length and has a diameter equal to the spacing between the wing flanges 22 and 24 of the mounting part 10 whereby free edges 28 thereof may be disposed in abutting engagement with the free vertical edges of the wing flanges 22 and 24. The tube holder 14 is also provided with a rounded top wall 30 which has the same configuration as the top wall 26 of the mounting part 10 and is in abutting engagement with the free edge thereof.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 6 in particular, it will be seen that the lower portion of the tube holder 14 gradually decreases in diameter towards the bottom thereof and at the same time the arcuate extent thereof increases from the semi-circular cross section of the upper portion of the tube holder 14. The lower portion of the tube holder 14 is referred in general by the reference numeral 32 and a portion thereof extending rearwardly of the edges 28 of the upper portion of the tube holder 14 are positioned between the wing flanges 22 and 24 of the mounting part 10, the wing flanges 22 and 24 being of a reduced width adjacent its lower end to facilitate the entrance of the lower portion 32 of the tube holder 14.

The tube holder 14 is secured to the mounting part 10 by positioning the lower portion 32 thereof between the wing flanges 22 and 24 at a point above their lower ends. The wing flanges 22 and 24 are provided with inwardly projecting cut out tabs 34 which are progressively fed into aligned openings 36 in the lower portion 32 of the tube holder 14 upon downward movement of the tube holder 14 with respect to the mounting part 10. The relationship of the openings 36 with respect opposite sides thereof.

'to the tabs 34 is such that when the tabs 34 are firmly seated within their respective openings 36, the top wall of thetube holder 14 is in alignment with the top wall 26 of the mounting part 10. After thetabs 34-have become seated within their respective openings 36, the upper portion of the tube holder 14 is swung into engagement with the upper portion of the mounting part 10 and secured thereto by a pin 38 passing through an aperture 40 in the top wall 30 of the tube holder 14. The pin 38'is mounted on a spring arm 42 carried by the top wall 26 of the mounting part 10.

In order that the tube holder 14 may perform its required function, the bottom wall thereof is in the form of 'an annular ring 44 having a concentric bore 46 therethrough. The annular ring 44 is provided with a transversely extending threaded bore 48 on the inner side thereof, the bore 48 communicating with the bore 46 and having threadedly mounted therein a locking screw 50. The tube holder 14 is intended to have a collapsible tube 52 mounted therein in an inverted position with a neck 54 thereof positioned within the 'bore' 46 and re-' tained therein by the locking screw 50. It will be understood that the collapsible tube 52 is disposed'within the Cit Referring now to Figures 3, 4 and S in particular, it

will be seen that the mounting part 10 is provided with a longitudinal extending guide, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 56. The'guide 56 includes a concave longitudinally extending central portion 58 having vertically extending wing flanges 60 on The wing flanges 60 have edges in engagement with the inner surfaces of the flanges 22 and 24 so as to prevent transverse movement of the ,guide 56.

The concaved central. portion 58 of the guide 56 has seated therein for vertical movement thereon a ball 62. The ball 62 is also in engagement with the tube 7 52 and isadapted to be urged towardsthe tube holder 14 by the guide 56 in order to collapse the collapsible tube 52. V

Secured to the rear wall 16 of the mounting part 10 by a fastener 64 is a clip 66. The clip 66 secures to the rear wall'16 for rotation with respect thereto a transversely extending portion 68 of a J-sshaped dispensing lever, which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 70. The dispensing lever has a transverse portion 68 thereof extending through the wing flange 22 and projecting outwardly through an opening 72 therein.

Integral with the transverse portion 68 is a forwardly and upwardly extending crank arm 74 which may be .a shiftable member 78. The shiftable member 78 is substantially the same width as the spacing between the wing flanges 22 and 24 and is guided for vertical movement only thereby. The shiftable member 78 has an oifset central portion 80 which provides clearance for the clip 56 and the transverse portion 68 of the dispensing lever 70, the offset portion 80 also providing a stop to limit inward movement of the guide 56. The short leg76 of the dispensing lever is engaged within an enlarged opening 82 in the otfset portion 80 and moves the shiftable member 78 downwardly when the crank arm 74 of the dispensing lever 70 is moved downwardly.

In order that the downward movement of the shiftable member 78 may be converted into an outward thrust on the guide 56, a pair of links 84 are disposed between the shiftable'member'78 and the guide 56 adjacent the upper and lower ends. The links 84 are disg of the tension spring 90 it will be seen that when the crank arm 74 of the dispensing lever 70 is moved back, to its normal position, the shiftable member 78 is moved posed at an angle to boththe horizontal and vertical and extend transversely between the wing flanges 22 and ber 78. Downward movement of the lower ends of the links 84 isprevented by rearwardly struck tabs 88 struck out from the wing flanges 60 of the guide 56. Inasmuch as the upper ends of the links 84 are moved downwardly by downward movement of the shiftable member 78, and the lower ends of the links 84 are restrained against movement, it is obvious that the links 84 must pivot with the result that their effective widths are increased and the guide 56 is urged forwardly away from the shiftable member 78. V

When the guide 56 is moved forwardly with respect to the shiftable member 78, the ball 62 guidingly engagedwith the guide 56 is urged towards the front'portion of the tube holder 14 with the resulting collapsing of the collapsible tube 52 positioned therein. It will be understood that the ball 62 is moved to a position closely adjacent the rear surface of the front portion of the tube holder 14 whereby the collapsible tube 52 is completely collapsed to dispense substantially all of the substance contained therein.

In order that the guide 56 may normally be urged into engagement with the offset portion of the shiftable member 78 and also to assure upward movement of the guide 56, there is connected to the rear wall 16 of the mounting part 10 a tension spring 90. I The upper end of the tension spring 90 is hooked over a forwardly projecting tab 92 struck outfrom the rear wall 16 and the tension spring extends downwardly and forwardly therefrom. The lower end of the tension spring 90 is hooked over a rearwardly. projecting tab 94 struck fromthe central portion of the guide 56 intermediate its ends. In view outwardly to its normal position and the guide 56 is pulled inwardly into engagement with the oifset portion 80 of the shiftable member. 78. Upward movement of the shiftable member 78 may be limited by engagement of a portion of the offset portion 80 with the clip 66 or by jamming of the links 84 between the tabs 88 of the guide 56 and stops 96 secured to "the wing flanges 60 thereof in vertically spaced relation. V V V 7 Referring to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that the relationship of the links 84 with respect to the flanges 86 of the shiftable member 78 and the tabs 88 and stops 96 of the guide 56 is such that in addition-tothe guide being urged outwardly away from the shiftable member, 7

the guide is moved slightly downwardly against the tension of the spring 90. The frictional engagement between the ball 62 and the guide 56 is such that the ball 62 is also rolled downwardly, in addition to 'being' urged outwardly, so as to progressively force the material to be dispensed from the tube 52 downwardly out of the upper end thereof.

In order that the dispensing opening of the collapsible tube 52 may be conveniently closed, the mounting part 10 of thehousing has pivotally secured to the lower por tionthereof a flat closure plate98. The closure plate'98 extends between the lower ends of, the wing flanges 22 and 24 is pivotally connected thereto by a pair of transversely aligned outwardly extending projections 108 which I are positioned in transversely aligned'apertures' 102 in;

the wing flanges 22 and 24. The outer portion of the closure plate 98 is'providedwith an enlarged opening104 in which is positioned a circular closure cap106, --the closure cap 106 being of the same diameter a the annular ring 44 and being vertically aligned therewith when the closure plate 98 is in its horizontal tube closing position.

In order that the closure plate 93 may be retained in its closed position, the rear wall 16 of the mounting part has secured thereto adjacent the lower end thereof and at one side a clip 108 which clamps to the rear wall 16 for vertical movement only an L-shaped spring 110. The L-shaped spring 110 includes a vertical arm 112 which is clamped by the clip 108 and whose upward movement is limited by a stop 114 carried by the rear wall 16 and engaging the upper end thereof. The L- shaped spring 110 is provided with a horizontal arm 116 which compressively engages within a notch 11% in the upper edge of a tab 120 struck out from the rear portion of the closure plate 98.

Downward movement of the closure plate 98 results in the upward bending of the horizontal arm 116 which accordingly resists swinging of the closure plate 98. Referring to Figure 8 particularly, it will be seen that once the closure plate 98 has swung from its horizontal position to a substantially vertical position the rear edge of the tab 120 engages the horizontal arm 116 and prevents the accidental swinging of the closure plate from the position illustrated in Figure 8.

Referring now to Figure 3 in particular, it will be seen that the closure plate 28 is provided with a pair of spaced parallel upstanding lugs 122 between which is mounted a small roll of paper 124. In order that the roll of paper 124 may be maintained positioned between the lugs 122, the closure plate 98 is provided with an outwardly struck tab 126 which engages the forward side of the roll of paper 124. The closure plate 98 in the vicinity of the tab 126 is provided with a transversely extending slot 128 through which the paper 124 passes, the slot 128 forming a guideway for the paper 124. Positioned adjacent the slot 128 but spaced forwardly thereof is a second elongated transversely extending slot 130 through which the paper 124 passes to be positioned once again on the upper side of the closure plate 98. The paper 124 then passes between the closure cap 126 and the angular ring 44 to provide a seal between the two.

After each opening of the closure cap 106 the portion of the paper 124 underlying the annular ring 44 is removed in order to facilitate the removal of accumulation of the substance stored within the collapsible tube 52 thereon and thereby maintaining a sanitary condition.

In recapitulation, it will be understood that after the guide 56 has been initially urged towards the ball 62, the same is moved downwardly with the shiftable member 78. When the guide 56 moves downwardly, the ball 62, in addition to pressing the tube, has imparted thereto a downward rolling action due to frictional engagement with the guide 56.

The operation of this device will be understood from the foregoing description of the details thereof, taken in connection with the above recited objects and the drawings. Further description would appear to be unnecessary.

Minor modifications of the device, varying in minor details from the embodiment of the device illustrated and described here, may be resorted to without departure from the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a tube holder, a ball carried within said tube holder for engagement with a collapsible tube, means for selectively urging said ball toward an adjacent collapsible tube for collapsing the same in order to dispense material formed therein, said means including an elongated guide for said ball, and actuating means carried by said tube holder in engagement with said guide for simultaneously moving said guide towards said ball for urging said ball into compressive engagement with a collapsible tube and longitudinally of the tube to roll the ball along the tube.

2. A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a tube holder, a ball carried within said tube holder for engagement with a collapsible tube, means for selectively urging said ball toward an adjacent collapsible tube for collapsing the same in order to dispense material formed therein, said means including an elongated guide for said ball, said guide being movable towards said ball for urging the same into compressive engagement with the collapsible tube, said elongated guide being suspended within the tube holder, a shiftable member carried by said tube holder, by parallel links, said parallel links connecting said guide to said shiftable member and retaining said guide and said shiftable member in spaced relation, said guide being movable by said shiftable member through said links.

A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a housing including a tube holder, a ball carried within said housing for cooperating with said tube holder to collapse :1 collapsible tube supported thereby, means carried by the housing for selectively urging said ball towards said tube holder, said means including an elongated guide for said ball, said guide being movable towards said ball for urging the same into compressive engagement with the collapsible tube, said guide being simultaneously movable downwardly to roll said ball over said tube.

4. A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a housing including a tube holder, a ball carried within said housing for cooperating with said tube holder to collapse a collapsible tube supported thereby, means carried by the housing for selectively urging said ball towards said tube holder, said means including an elongated guide for said ball, said guide being movable towards said ball for urging the same into compressive engagement with the collapsible tube, a shiftable member carried by said housing for vertical movement, links extending between said guide and said shiftable member said guide being retained in spaced parallel relation with said shiftable member by said links, said guide being spring urged towards said shiftable member.

5. A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a housing including a tube holder, a ball carried within said housing for cooperating with said tube holder to collapse a collapsible tube supported thereby, means carried by the housing for selectively urging said ball towards said tube holder, said means including an elongated guide for said ball, said guide being movable towards said ball for urging the same into compressive engagement with the collapsible tube, a shiftable member carried by said housing for vertical movement, links extending between said guide and said shiftable member, said guide being retained in spaced parallel relation with said shiftable memher by said links, said guide being spring urged towards said shiftable member, said links engaging stop elements carried by said shiftable member and said guide, said links being pivotable for varying the spacing between said shiftable member and said guide.

6. A dispenser for collapsible tubes comprising a housing including means for holding a tube in an inverted position, means for dispensing contents of the tube, a closure plate carried by said housing for closing a dispensing end of the collapsible tube, a paper seal positioned between said closure plate and the dispensing end, said paper seal being in the form of a roll of paper carried by said closure plate and movable with respect, thereto whereby used portions of said roll may be removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,771,545 Melvin July 29, 1930 1,804,760 Fox May 12, 1931 1,853,652 Allinson Apr. 12, 1932 2,026,864 Cairns Jan. 7, 1936 2,231,889 Davis Feb. 18, 1941 

